Spatial Variability of Actual Soil Moisture, pH and Bulk Soil Electrical Conductivity within the Area of the Former Oleszek Mill Pond Basin

Celem badań było określenie zróżnicowania przestrzennego wilgotności aktualnej (Wa), pH i przewodności elektrycznej (ECa) w powierzchniowych poziomach glebowych w niecce byłego stawu młyńskiego Oleszek. Młyny wodne to jedne z pierwszych budowli hydrotechnicznych w Polsce. Pojawiły się już na przełomie XI i XII wieku, natomiast upowszechniły się w XIII wieku. Budowa i funkcjonowanie młynów wodnych znacznie wpłynęła na przekształcenie środowiska przyrodniczego w ich otoczeniu, przede wszystkim na zmiany rzeźby terenu i warunków wodnych. Badania obejmowały pomiary Wa, pH i ECa w powierzchniowej warstwie gleby (0–30 cm). Pomiary wykonano za pomocą metody TDR aparatem Field Operated Meter – Easy Test FOM/mts w 49 punktach zlokalizowanych w obrębie niecki byłego stawu młyńskiego Oleszek. Zróżnicowanie wyników  Wa, pH i ECa wskazuje na znaczną zmienność przestrzenną powierzchniowej warstwy osadów zakumulowanych w niecce byłego stawu młyńskiego. Powierzchniowa warstwa osadów budujących analizowaną nieckę nie wykazuje jednak różnic w odniesieniu do podziału niecki na część proksymalną, środkową i dystalną. Zaobserwowane różnice mają postać punktowo występujących wartości ekstremalnych związanych z mikrorzeźbą powstałą po zakończeniu funkcjonowania stawu (wały brzegowe), lub wywołane są z lokalnymi czynnikami silnie modyfikującymi powierzchnię równiny biogenicznej w obrębie niecki takimi jak wysięki wód w strefie krawędziowej niecki

Land use changes and landscape pattern dynamics of a peatland area under diversified human impact: the Grójec Valley (Central Poland)

The paper aims to assess the land use changes and the dynamics of the landscape pattern of the Grójec Valley in the scope of diverse anthropogenic impacts. The study site is located in the border of the Koło Basin and Kujawy Lakeland, Central Poland. This area was originally covered with wetlands. Since the beginning of the 20th century it has been influenced by intensive agricultural use, peat extraction and open-pit mining. The research is based on cartographic materials from 1941, 1981 and 2012. The most relevant finding was that in the first study period (1941–1981) the most common changes in land use (transformation of wetlands into grasslands with shrubs) took place. These were caused mainly by a change in hydrological conditions due to drainage for agricultural use (meadows and pastures) and peat extraction. The study confirmed that these land use changes significantly influenced the landscape structure in each of the analysed parameters (patch density and size, edge, shape and diversity metrics)

SOIL ORGANIC MATTER STATUS IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL SEQUENCE OF FORMER SHORELINE OF DISAPPEARING SUMOWSKIE LAKES, NORTH-EASTERN POLAND

The aim of the study has been to define the stocks and the basic properties of soil organic matter in agricultural-used soil sequence located in the former shoreline of disappearing lakes. The study area is located in the catchment of the Sumowskie Lakes, the Brodnica Lake District, North-Eastern Poland. The investigations involved preparation of five soil pits located in the south-western part of the former Sumowskie Lake bottom and on the southern slope of the adjacent kame hill. The greatest soil transformation is reflected in the quality and quantity of the soil organic matter. Indexes of organic matter quality and TOC stocks are significantly changing along the studied transect. The strongly humidified organic matter is found in mursh horizons. Gyttja layers above the groundwater level have a medium humification index. Horizons saturated with water are very low humidified. TOC stocks drop along the analysed soil sequence from the biogenic plain to the top of the kame hill. Celem badań było określenie zasobów i podstawowych właściwości materii organicznej sekwencji rolniczo użytkowanych gleb dawnej strefy brzegowej zanikających jezior. Obszar badań był zlokalizowany w zlewni jezior Sumowskich na Pojezierzu Brodnickim w Polsce północno-wschodniej. Analizowano transekt składający się z pięciu profili glebowych znajdujących się w pd.-zach. części dawnego Jeziora Sumowskiego. Obejmował on dno dawnego jeziora oraz przylegające wzgórze kemowe. Największe zróżnicowanie gleb dotyczyło ilości i jakości glebowej materii organicznej. Zarówno właściwości materii organicznej, jak i jej zasoby wyraźnie różnicują się w analizowanym transekcie. Materia organiczna poziomów murszowych gleb pojeziornych odznacza się najwyższym stopniem humifikacji, warstwy gytii, powyżej poziomu wód gruntowych, pośrednim, a poziomy nasycone wodą najniższym spośród analizowanych. Zasoby węgla organicznego zmniejszają się wzdłuż transektu od gleb pojeziornych do szczytu pagórka kemowego (pararędziny)

Technogenic soils in Toruń

Chapter 5 in: Przemysław Charzyński, Maciej Markiewicz, Marcin Świtoniak (Eds.) 2013. Technogenic soils atlas. Polish Society of Soil Science. Toruń

The use of orthophoto map for soils mapping of dwindling lakes catchment areas: a case study of Sumowskie Lake, NE Poland

The aim of the study was to assess the suitability of aerial photos for mapping the soils of dwindling lakes catchment areas. The study area is located in the North Poland, within the Brodnica Lakeland and it includes the direct catchment area of dwindling Sumowskie Lakes. There were three test area established for soil mapping. The photointerpretation was based on both immediate properties (colour of topsoil) for ploughed cultivated fields, and intermediate properties (vegetation and relief) for the areas of forests, shrubs or permanent pasture. The obtained results confirm the high usability of the cartographic materials such as aerial photographs and topographic maps for studies on specifications of areas such as the vicinities of dwindling lakes

The impact of environmental conditions on water salinity in the area of the city of Inowrocław (north-central Poland)

The article presents the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the chemical and physical properties of surface and ground waters in the area of the city of Inowrocław. It has been shown that the properties of the waters were most strongly affected by the specific geological structure (the city is located within the Zechstein salt dome) as well as the long-term influence of a salt mine and soda plant. The composition of most analysed samples was dominated by Ca 2+ , Na + and Cl - ions. In places of heavy industrial activity, some water parameters were several time higher than permissible values according to Polish standards. It is concluded that, due to the threat to the city’s ground drinking water resources and fertile soils, the surface and ground waters in the area in question require permanent monitoring

Polish Soil Classification, 6th edition – principles, classification scheme and correlations

The sixth edition of the Polish Soil Classification (SGP6) aims to maintain soil classification in Poland as a modern scientific system that reflects current scientific knowledge, understanding of soil functions and the practical requirements of society. SGP6 continues the tradition of previous editions elaborated upon by the Soil Science Society of Poland in consistent application of quantitatively characterized diagnostic horizons, properties and materials; however, clearly referring to soil genesis. The present need to involve and name the soils created or naturally developed under increasing human impact has led to modernization of the soil definition. Thus, in SGP6, soil is defined as the surface part of the lithosphere or the accumulation of mineral and organic materials permanently connected to the lithosphere (through buildings or permanent constructions), coming from weathering or accumulation processes, originated naturally or anthropogenically, subject to transformation under the influence of soilforming factors, and able to supply living organisms with water and nutrients. SGP6 distinguishes three hierarchical categories: soil order (nine in total), soil type (basic classification unit; 30 in total) and soil subtype (183 units derived from 62 unique definitions; listed hierarchically, separately in each soil type), supplemented by three non-hierarchical categories: soil variety (additional pedogenic or lithogenic features), soil genus (lithology/parent material) and soil species (soil texture). Non-hierarchical units have universal definitions that allow their application in various orders/types, if all defined requirements are met. The paper explains the principles, classification scheme and rules of SGP6, including the key to soil orders and types, explaining the relationships between diagnostic horizons, materials and properties distinguished in SGP6 and in the recent edition of WRB system as well as discussing the correlation of classification units between SGP6, WRB and Soil Taxonomy

Guidelines for Soil Description and Classification Central and Eastern European Students’ Version.

Soil investigation may be carried out on various levels of knowledge, research capacity and proficiency. Scientists commonly apply advanced methodology for soil resources inventory, including the professional terminology for landscape and soil description, data acquisition and processing, soil classification and mapping, soil and land evaluation. By default, an internationally accepted system should be recommended. An implementation of such methodology is also recommended in more advanced courses of soil science studies on bachelor and master study levels. However, the long-term teaching experience reveals difficulties connected mainly with complicated terminology and excessive number of characteristics obligatory to know, and justifies some simplification of the language, rules and structure at the introductory stage of teaching. This was the base and rationale for the preparation of simplified Guidelines for Soil Description and Classification: Central and Eastern European Students’ Version. This book is divided into three parts. The first one – Site and soil description - follows the layout and content of professional edition of Guidelines for Soil Description, 4th ed., published by FAO (2006), simplified for educational purposes. The order of description has been modified to correspond to the layout of an original Soil description sheet. The second part - Soil classification - is a simplified WRB classification (based on a 2014/2015 edition) limited to reference soil groups known from Central Europe. The third part is an Illustrated explanatory guide that includes: i) examples of typical soil profiles for all Central European Reference Soil Groups; ii) morphological features important for soil description and identification in the field; iii) soil- landscape relationships. The photos have been enriched with graphical tips helpful at the recognizing of important soil features. The textbook was developed in the framework of EU Erasmus+ FACES project (Freely Accessible Central European Soil) aiming to facilitate the knowledge and implementation of an international rules of soil characterization adopted by the FAO. It will be used to unify the presentation of soil data collected in the partner countries. The interpretation of soil data fully based on the international soil classification WRB (World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2015) as WRB was endorsed by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and accepted by the European Commission as an official system for the European Union. Therefore, this guideline might be a starting point for preparation of basic teaching materials to spread the knowledge on an internationally recommended rules and terminology for soil description and classification. However, this guideline is designed as teaching tool for students in Central and Eastern European countries and therefore it may not be applicable worldwide. Moreover, it is suited for the “first step” training, and it is not substituting any professional original classification. Authors of this guidebook assume that the users are familiar with the basic knowledge in soil science. Therefore, the guidelines do not contain explanations related to basic soil forming factors, soil forming processes and basic physico-chemical features